I The Book of Ecclesiastes a

-s from the Young's Literal Translation §5

| Translated by Robert Young (1822-1888) i

^ The Book of Ecclesiastes ( /i.kliizi'aestiiz/; literally "Book of the Teacher"; Hebrew: ^>
j§ rtld'P, Qoheleth), commonly referred to simply as Ecclesiastes (abbreviated "Ecc."], is a |j
■^J book of the Hebrew Bible. The English name derives from the Greek translation of the

^ Hebrew title. 5

I

^ The main speaker in the book, identified by the name or title Qoheleth (usually
translated as "teacher" or "preacher"), introduces himself as "son of David, king in
Jerusalem." The work consists of personal or autobiographic matter, at times
expressed in aphorisms and maxims illuminated in terse paragraphs with reflections
on the meaning of life and the best way of life. The work emphatically proclaims all the
actions of man to be inherently "vain", "futile", "empty", "meaningless", "temporary",
"transitory", "fleeting, or "mere breath", depending on translation, as the lives of both
wise and foolish men end in death. While Qoheleth clearly endorses wisdom as a ^
means for a well-lived earthly life, he is unable to ascribe eternal meaning to it. In light §
of this perceived senselessness, he suggests that one should enjoy the simple 0^
J§ pleasures of daily life, such as eating, drinking, and taking enjoyment in one's work, v<
S which are gifts from the hand of God. (Introduction by Wikipedia)

^ Read by Mark Penfold; total running time: 00:32:03. Dedicated Proof-Listener: ^
^ Lomond. Meta-Coordinator/Cataloging: David Lawrence.

^ This recording is in the public domain and may be reproduced, distributed, or modified without permission. ^
For more information or to volunteer, visit librivox.org. Cover picture by Gustave Dore (1866). Copyright ^
expired in US, Canada, EU, and all countries with author's life +70 yrs laws. Cover design by Janette Brown.
This design is in the public domain.